Fall is in full swing! It’s that time of the year when the days get shorter and cooler and the clothes get cozier. One of the best things about the change of seasons is the food. Everything is ripe and the weather is perfect for warm, savoury dishes like soup. Embrace the flavour of fall with this classic roasted butternut squash soup. There’s nothing that says fall like squash.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

• 6 cups butternut squash (roasted)
• ½ cup yellow onion (diced)
• 4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1/3 cup maple syrup for sweetness
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 2/3 cup cooking cream

You can also add a peeled, cored, and shredded apple to this dish for additional sweetness. For fresher apples, why not go apple picking with the grandkids?

Step 1: You can roast the squash ahead of time or right before cooking. An hour to 70 minutes at 375 degrees will do it. To prepare, cut the squash in half down the length and scoop out seeds and that stringy flesh in the middle. You can roast the squash in the skin, then easily scoop the flesh out once it’s roasted and cooled.

Step 2: To start the soup, take a large Dutch oven and melt butter around medium heat. Add onion and cook until it becomes translucent. Next add squash, followed by broth, apple, and a sprig of fresh thyme (you can use dried as well, adjust for volume).

Step 3: Cook uncovered for about 20 to 30 minutes and allow to simmer. Use an immersion blender to puree the ingredients. If you’ve used fresh thyme, remove the sprig before blending. Finally add cream and maple syrup and stir well for a few more minutes.

Use Ingredients Fresh from the Garden

Autumn is harvest season! While a lot of classic garden vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers are out of the ground by the end of August and early September when the last warm days pass, fall is the perfect time to grow fall vegetables and greens like:

• Beets
• Arugula
• Cabbage
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Squash

If you already know the joys of gardening, you know there’s nothing better than using your own fresh produce to cook up a delicious meal.

Moving to a retirement residence doesn’t have to mean giving up your garden either. You can keep on gardening at All Seniors Care Living Centres, and you may even find it easier if you’re beginning to have issues with mobility. You can click here to learn more about continuing to do the things you love while living in senior housing. You can also contact us anytime to learn more about living in senior homes and apartments.

Fall Meals at All Seniors Care Living Centres

If you want to learn more about our Ontario residences, why not start in the kitchen? All Seniors Care Living Centres strive to provide top-quality, nutritious meals every day of the year.

At our seniors homes and apartments in Ottawa, London, Stratford, and across the country, teams led by Red Seal Certified Chefs will be cooking up a tasty fall menu for residents. From autumnal soups to Oktoberfest classics and Thanksgiving favourites, fall is one of the tastiest times of the year.If you want to make this butternut squash soup yourself, each of our buildings features a multi-purpose room with a complete kitchen and essential supplies for cooking and baking. Some of our buildings also offer suites with full kitchens. If you love cooking, there’s no need to give it up.